Clearview National March 2020 - Issue 220 | Page 62

CO LOUR Any colour as long as it’s green… How composite windows and doors can boost energy efficiency » AS PART OF THE TENTH annual World Green Building Week, which took place in September 2019, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) issued a bold vision for how buildings around the world can reach 40 per cent less embodied carbon emissions by 2030. Here, Gert De Roover, building, construction and infrastructure manager at leading composites technology company Exel Composites, explains why composite materials contribute to the drive for greener buildings. On average, around 30 per cent of a building’s heat escapes through its windows alone.. Unlike metal, fiberglass composite materials are effective thermal insulators, making them the ideal candidate for window and door frames. Typically, insulation in an aluminium window frame is referred to as a thermal break — the continuous barrier between the inside and outside window frames that prevents thermal energy loss. The insulating properties of composite materials such as fiberglass mean that there is no need for a thermal break, as the material is capable of ensuring thermal efficiency alone. Unlike wood, fiberglass doesn’t expand or contract when exposed to wet or humid conditions, and 66 » M AR 2020 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M it does not rot, meaning it can last longer and work effectively in any environmental conditions. While another common window frame and door material, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), does not swell or warp like wood, it presents its own challenges. PVC can be easily misshapen, so metal inserts are sandwiched between the exterior and interior frames of the window to match wood’s structural stiffness. However, the problem arises when the seal binding these elements together isn’t maintained — stopping it from keeping the elements out and the heat in. Fiberglass window frames do not require structural inserts, as the stiff material is manufactured in a single profile. From a material’s performance perspective, fiberglass offers several benefits over traditional materials. First it has the stiffness and strength without the need for adding stiffeners, and this simplifies the manufacturing process. Secondly, fiberglass is resistant to thermal expansion, corrosion and rot. This means less maintenance over the lifespan of the window or door frame. Thirdly, fiberglass frames are a great insulator helping to retain heat or cooling to help save energy. www.exelcomposites.com